England 'could face Euros ban' over regulator plan

Uefa has warned ministers that England could beryllium excluded from nan Euros it is co-hosting successful 2028 complete "concerns" that a planned independent shot regulator could lead to "government interference" successful nan sport.

A measure to found a assemblage to oversee nan apical 5 tiers of nan men's crippled successful England was reintroduced successful July.

The UK authorities has said nan shot watchdog will "protect clubs" by "ensuring their financial sustainability".

But successful a missive sent to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and seen by BBC Sport, Uefa wide caput Theodore Theodoridis wrote: "We do person concerns remaining... arsenic usually shot regularisation should beryllium managed by nan nationalist federation.

"One peculiar area of interest stems from 1 of Uefa's basal requirements, which is that location should beryllium nary authorities interference successful nan moving of football.

"We person circumstantial rules that defender against this successful bid to guarantee nan autonomy of athletics and fairness of sporting competition; nan eventual punishment for which would beryllium excluding nan federation from Uefa and teams from competition."

The erstwhile authorities announced plans to name a regulator past twelvemonth pursuing a fan-led review, which said specified a assemblage was basal for nan semipermanent financial stableness of nan men's master crippled aft issues including mismanagement and plans for a breakaway European Super League.

The regulator will oversee a licensing strategy to guarantee clubs are tally sustainably, return complete a strengthened owners and board test, and springiness fans a greater opportunity successful cardinal decisions.

But Theodoridis warned Nandy: "Uefa is concerned astir nan imaginable for scope creep wrong nan IFR [independent shot regulator].

"While nan first intent of nan IFR is to oversee nan semipermanent financial sustainability of clubs and practice assets, location is ever a consequence that, erstwhile established, nan IFR whitethorn grow its instruction beyond these areas."

That "could undermine nan established structures and processes of nan sport, and magnitude to authorities interference", he wrote.

He added that it was "imperative to protect and sphere nan independency of nan FA", and that authorities that "compromises nan FA's autonomy arsenic nan superior regulator of shot successful England" would not comply pinch nan Uefa and Fifa statutes.

"It follows that nan criteria defining and evaluating nan IFR's independency must beryllium meticulously crafted to debar imaginable conflicts pinch nan FA's role. This is basal to forestall sanctions nether Uefa and Fifa statutes.

"The IFR's scope must stay focused connected nan semipermanent financial sustainability of clubs pinch a position to ensuring that it does not overstep into areas that mightiness beryllium perceived arsenic outer interference successful shot governance."

Theodoridis besides warned Nandy that clauses successful nan authorities that oblige nan regulator to see nan government's overseas and waste and acquisition argumentation objectives erstwhile deciding connected nan suitability of early owners "raise circumstantial concerns".

He added that Uefa "respectfully requires further explanation and understanding... successful this discourse to guarantee compliance pinch nan Uefa Statutes and to forestall unwanted implications for shot governance".

The reintroduced Football Governance Bill will besides springiness nan caller regulator "backstop powers", which could beryllium utilized to intervene betwixt nan Premier League and nan English Football League (EFL) aft their nonaccomplishment to agree a backing deal. Talks complete a alleged 'New Deal' collapsed successful March, pinch nan 2 organisations incapable to work together a backing plan.

In his letter, Theodoridis told Nandy that "the conception of a backstop powerfulness introduces important concerns regarding nan equilibrium of powerfulness wrong shot governance".

He wrote: "Mandating redistribution which effects nan competitory equilibrium successful nan crippled and wider European title would beryllium of interest to us. We besides fearfulness that having a 3rd statement intervene successful redistribution would apt forestall amicable solutions being found.

"As we spot it, nan 'backstop' power, while intended arsenic a information net, should beryllium cautiously reconsidered to debar undermining these basal principles."

In a statement, nan Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "The Football Governance Bill will found a caller Independent Football Regulator that will put fans backmost astatine nan bosom of nan game, and tackle basal governance problems to guarantee that English shot is sustainable for nan use of nan clubs' communities going forward."

Privately, officials are said to judge location is nary consequence of England being banned by Uefa.

Last month, nan Premier League said it "looked forward" to moving pinch nan caller government, but that "it was captious that nan regularisation was proportionate and effective".

Uefa declined to comment.